Boosting what is already expected to be Bush Intercontinental Airport’s busiest year for air cargo, Cathay Pacific Airways has added a new Boeing 747-8 Freighter to its fleet.

The huge plane touched down at Bush for the first time earlier this week, the Houston Airport System announced in a news release. (According toWikipedia, the Boeing 747-8 is 63 feet tall and 250 feet long.)

As the plane known as a Dash 8 departed Houston for its inaugural freighter flight, it carried oil and gas machinery and equipment from Houston as well as commodities from across South America, including cherries from Chile and flowers from Colombia that are to be distributed across Asia, the release said.

Cathay Pacific is the first Asia Pacific airline to take delivery of the 747-8 Freighter and now has a fleet of 21 wide-body freighters servin…

Jeff Goulden/iStockphoto.comThe Washington State Fruit Commission received $100,000 in federal money to promote cherries in Indonesia, but Sen. Tom Coburn says this is a waste of taxpayer money.

As Eater reported this week, some politicians believe this country is awash in food waste. But this isn't the stuff in the garbage — it's the way we pour money into building restaurants, promoting American food products abroad, and encouraging the purchase of local foods.

Every December, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) puts a Wastebooktogether to highlight 100 examples of the government's most profligate and unnecessary spending initiatives. This year, the spending that Coburn deemed unworthy amounts to $6.9 billion. And there are a surprisingly large number of food-related projects on the list — dozens by our count.

At this beautiful time of year our network reaches out to you = dear friends.

The NRWPTT team thank you for your support and wish for you a wonderful Christmas and a New Year filled with joy love, prosperity and deep fulfillment.

We are excited about the limitless possibilities 2012 holds and we invite you to participate fully with us as we fulfill our mission "to strenghten rural women and families through education, enlightenment and entrepreneurism in effort to eradicate poverty and hunger, to increase the level of love, prosperity and peace on earth"...

From Gia all the best for 2012

see card below Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year When you finish putting it together, watch what happens. Merry Christmas

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin will resign from that position effective Dec. 30.

Bersin was nominated in November 2009 and re-nominated in January 2011 but was never confirmed by the Senate, and his recess appointment by President Obama in March 2010 was due to expire Dec. 31.

Deputy Commissioner and former head of the Border Patrol David Aguilar will serve as acting commissioner and Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Field Operations Thomas Winkowski will serve as acting deputy commissioner until a new commissioner is appointed.

Bersin called his tenure as commissioner “one of the most rewarding experiences of my public life” and highlighted a number of achievements, including streamlining the entry process for lawful trade and measurably strengthening border security.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano also cited the “historic steps” CBP has taken to facilitate…

Friday, December 23rd You've topped $100,000 in donations! Here's what that money did! $1 Buys Two Chickens, But for What?!?
In sub-saharan Africa, only one out of five girls makes it on to secondary school (junior high/high school).
Drop outs make far less income, marry earlier and are three times more likely to contract HIV/AIDS than their educated counterparts.
But how can these girls pay for expensive schooling?
The bright young students raise chickens. They're supplied with chicks - your donation of $1 will be doubled today, more than cover the $1.62 cost of two chicks - and farmer mentors teach the girls animal husbandry skills.

Within a year, the chickens pay for a girl's schooling.
Plus, these girls are doing important work that will feed their community, and indeed, the plan is that surplus can even feed their own families. Give $1Connect with us:Follow us on TwitterBecome a fanYou're receiving this newsletter because you are subscribed to Philanthroper…

THIS summer's weather may be a let-down, but Sydneysiders can enjoy some of the lowest fruit and vegetable prices in years.

''You better believe it … I'm selling four mangoes for $5. Last year it was two for $5,'' said Frank Vecchio, owner of the Wynyard Park fruit stand in Sydney's CBD. In his 20 years of business, Mr Vecchio said he has not seen such quantities of produce at fruit and vegetable wholesale markets.

The chief executive officer of NSW Chamber of Fruit and Vegetable Industries, Colin Gray, said the oversupply was caused by a decline in consumer demand due to the recent unseasonal wet weather. Consequently, wholesale and retail prices have fallen.Advertisement: Story continues below

''The problem with the weather is that people are not buying as much, not enjoying barbecues with the fruit and salad bowls,'' M…